American football player, 21, who committed suicide had brain disease linked to repeated head trauma

A star U.S. college football player who committed suicide was suffering from the early stages of a brain disease linked to repeated head trauma and more often seen in older athletes, a post mortem has revealed.

Owen Thomas, a 21-year-old University of Pennsylvania football captain, killed himself in April after suffering from what friends and family called 'an uncharacteristic emotional collapse'.

Now doctors have found that tissue in his brain displayed early signs of CTE - chronic traumatic encephalopathy - which can be caused by repeated blows to the head.

Depression: Owen Thomas, 21, committed suicide after developing depression. A post-mortem found evidence of brain damage caused by frequent hard hits while playing American football

The discovery has sparked fears that repeated blows to the head during the physical sport could put young athletes in high school and college at risk.

Mr Thomas, who hanged himself in his flat, is the youngest player to have been found to suffer from the condition.

Its effects are neurobehavioural - including poor decision-making, impaired memory, erratic behaviour, use of drugs and alcohol and suicide.

Damage: This graphic shows how the effects of a hard hit can lead to concussion. Mr Thomas showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy, possibly caused by blows to the head

Dr Robert Stern, co-director of the Center for the Study of Traumatic Encephalopathy, told CNN: 'We know that CTE can bring on things like depression and erratic behaviour and problems with impulse control.

'And there have been several cases of suicide in the past amongst people who were found to have CTE.

'But in any individual case, we can't say for sure that there's a link.'

Mr Thomas was described as the most popular player on the team after joining three years ago when he enrolled as an undergraduate at the university's Wharton School of Business.

His mother Reverend Kathy Brearley told the New York Times: 'He loved to hit people, he loved to go into practice and hit really hard...

'It's kind of sad. We all love football. We all love watching. We all love those great hits.'

Grimsley died of an accidental gunshot wound to the chest. Webster, Long and Strzelczyk all died after long bouts of depression, while Waters committed suicide in 2006 aged 44.

McHale was found dead last year from a suspected drug overdose and Henry died at the age of 26 after falling from a moving truck during a fight with his girlfriend.

The NFL has tried for years to play down the link between hard tackles and brain damage and has been accused of trying to minimise the evidence.

Every year more than 50,000 high school football players - aged between 14 and 18 - suffer concussion, which is especially dangerous because their brain is still growing.

Rev Brearley, of Allentown, Pennsylvania, told Philly.com: 'Up to this point, this concern about head concussions was not on my radar.

'That Owen had the onset of this disease at the age of 21 should be a concern to everyone.'

A statement from the University of Pennsylvania said: 'While we will never know the cause of Owen Thomas's depression and subsequent suicide, we are aware of and deeply concerned about the medical issues now being raised about football head injuries and will continue to work with the Ivy League and the medical community in addressing these issues.

'Owen's untimely death was a terrible tragedy, and we continue to grieve for his loss.'

Mr Thomas will be honoured in a ceremony on Saturday before the university's opening game of the season.

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Suicide American football player had brain disease linked to repeated head trauma